summer after
by achieving elysium
Summary: "They'd known each other for years. Percy could tell you all about how much she loved architecture, the expression on her face when she was fighting a monster, how uncomfortable it felt to have your knees pressing against hers... Now Percy could say what it felt to kiss Annabeth." After everything, Percy and Annabeth have a moment or two together. TLO missing moment.


**summer after**  
achieving elysium

_happy birthday, percy. x_

* * *

When Percy heard the footsteps on the cabin porch, he smiled.

"Done yet?" Annabeth asked, popping a hand on her hip as she watched him from the doorway. She was trying and failing to look impatient, or maybe irritated, but Percy knew that if she really was her lips would be pressed in that hard line and her eyes piercing. Instead Percy just saw her soft mouth and the gleam reflecting in her eyes.

"Almost," Percy said, shrugging. "Just… a couple more things left."

He held up a little gold trophy someone had clearly made in Arts and Crafts with the Apollo kids—it was a little wonky, and the handles were different sizes.

By someone, Percy meant his twelve year-old self. To give himself credit, it wasn't half bad, though the gold paint wasn't painted on fully. But hey—he'd come back from a quest and been poisoned half to death, so Percy gave himself a pass.

"You think Mom would still like this?" He made a face. "See here, I put Best Mom on it. I meant to give it to her after the first summer, but…"

"She'd cry with happiness," Annabeth said.

She shuffled a few steps forward into the cabin but stopped to lean against Percy's desk. Her hair was down today, instead of in its usual ponytail. Curls bounced down over her shoulders, the light catching in it like honey, and Percy thought it looked— well, really pretty. He wondered if she just hadn't bothered this morning, or maybe one of the Aphrodite kids had gotten to her.

Lucky him. He liked her hair.

"What?" Annabeth asked, her voice a fraction sharp. Her fingers had crept up to fiddle with her dad's ring around her neck.

Percy realized he'd been staring, maybe a little too hard, and he turned quickly and packed the trophy in his bag. Heat rose in his cheeks.

"I, uh," he said, scratching the back of his neck. Percy snuck a glance at her and saw Annabeth watching expectantly, and he cleared his throat. "I just thought that you… looked good today. Your hair. It's, um, nice like that."

"Oh," Annabeth said. She ducked her head and blushed. "Yeah— yeah, the, um. Thanks."

Percy cleared his throat and went back to packing. They stayed there in silence for a little bit; Percy couldn't tell if it was comfortable or not. They'd known each other for years. Percy could tell you all about how much she loved architecture, the expression on her face when she was fighting a monster, how uncomfortable it felt to have your knees pressing against hers.

But this was, like, new.

Now Percy could say what it felt to kiss Annabeth. How every look at her was a little bit like taking in a breath of fresh air. Sitting next to her in the glow of campfire, the wash of warmth from the fire bleeding into the warmth of her hand touching his.

And after the war, after the loss, the time Grover had pulled him aside and put his arms around Percy and said, _you're happy. _

"What, uh," Annabeth blurted, "I mean, you saw Grover?"

Percy grinned, relaxing. "Yeah. Yesterday afternoon. You probably just missed him."

Annabeth sighed. "I've been trying to catch him, but… we've just been so busy. Things are changing."

Percy tilted his head. In the distance he could just hear the sounds of construction, the new cabins almost completed. The call of new voices—new demigods who were untouched by the looming threat of war.

He was glad for it. There were _kids _now, actual kids that were years and years younger than him with starry eyes as they took in Camp Half-Blood and welcomed into their new home.

"Funny," Percy said, "our buddy the Lord of the Wild said the same exact thing."

Annabeth finally came and sat on the edge of Percy's bunk. She peered up at him, and Percy stopped packing and braced an arm against the bedframe.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Yeah," Percy replied, and he couldn't stop looking at her. Just looking at her.

"And then what?"

"I told him we were still best friends, so that didn't change." Annabeth's lips curved up. Percy gestured between him and Annabeth. "And he said except for us, and I told him it was different."

Annabeth's grin widened. She reached up and took his free hand. "Oh yeah? Different, huh?"

"You're teasing," Percy complained, but he squeezed her hand and kept holding it, even if they were both hot and sticky from the mid-August weather.

"I said I wasn't going to make it easy."

He ducked his head under the top bunk and caught the flush over her cheeks.

"Do you like me, Annabeth Chase?" he asked, moving the hand braced against the bed. Feeling brave, Percy tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and a pleasant tingle ran through him when he saw her watch him shyly.

"I don't know," Annabeth said, but he'd gotten through a little. "Do- do you like me, Percy Jackson?"

"A lot," and Annabeth smiled.

"Then you know your answer," she told him, and Percy grinned. His stomach swooped. He couldn't stop smiling, even as he leaned in and Annabeth's eyes fluttered shut—

And her cheek was rough as he ran his thumb over it, sliding his fingers into loose hair—

And her hand curling around his—

And he kissed her, maybe for the first time, or the second. _Percy _kissing Annabeth, not the other way around, and this time she didn't taste like smoke and ash or blue birthday cake. But her mouth was still sweet and Percy kissed her until he was dizzy.

"Different," Annabeth said, and Percy thought he had tasted her smile. "I like it."

"Summer's going to be," Percy said. A little wistful, and a little sad. But there were good things coming, because Percy had been promised them—it was hard to trust gods, but it was easy to trust in the hearts of the mortals here. Looking around at his friends, knowing.

"Yeah."

Annabeth knew it, too.

"Are you… coming with me later?" he asked, "To go see Mom?"

"Of course," Annabeth replied, eyes sparkling. "I lo— I like her more than you, Seaweed Brain."

"Wow," Percy grumbled, but it was all in good spirits. "And she likes you more than me, Wise Girl. So you're pretty lucky, I'd say. But we're going to have to tell her about— us. Right?"

"We saved the world," Annabeth said. "We can tell your mom that we're… dating."

Every time Percy got to say _my girlfriend Annabeth _he felt like he was floating. He pulled back a bit too quickly and felt his head knock against the bunk, then staggered back. Annabeth laughed as Percy ran a hand through his hair. It hadn't hurt at all—luckily Percy hadn't done any damage to the bed either, which would've been embarrassing.

"And then we'll be off to school."

"Yeah."

"And then we'll IM each other."

"Yeah."

"And then…" Percy had to think about it. "And then we'll be back for another summer. Us together."

"Duh," Annabeth said, squeezing his hand tightly. She leaned her head into the crook of his arm for a moment then stood up to wrap her lithe arms around him. He smiled when her hair brushed against his jaw as Annabeth spoke into his ear. "And all the summers after."


End file.
